One of the trucks sits in the bay at the Wayne Township Fire Department station 82 Monday, August 16, 2010. (Steve Sanchez/The Star)

Written by

Township officials on the Westside are fuming over a legislative proposal that would let Indianapolis acquire their fire departments without their consent.

"This is a hostile move, a blatant grab for power," said Andy Harris, Wayne Township's trustee.

The bill, introduced by Rep. Cindy Kirchhofer R-Beech Grove, would require only the approval of the Indianapolis City-County Council and the mayor to merge the fire departments of Decatur, Pike and Wayne townships into the Indianapolis Fire Department. ...